The free world is the new continent in cyberspace that we have built so we can live here in freedom. It's impossible to live in freedom in the old world of cyberspace, where every program has its feudal lord that bullies and mistreats the users. So, to live in freedom we have to build a new continent. Because this is a virtual continent, it has room for everyone, and there are no immigration restrictions. - Richard Stallman -

Zenoss (Zenoss Core) is an open source application, server and network management platform based on the Zope application server. Released under the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2, Zenoss Core provides a web interface that allows system administrators to monitor availability, inventory/configuration, performance and events.

Erik Dahl began Zenoss development in 2002 and in August 2005 founded Zenoss, Inc., with Bill Karpovich. Zenoss, Inc. sponsors the development of Zenoss Core and sells an enterprise version based on the core version.

Other Linux versions will work with the stack installers as well as source for any other Unix systems.

A web-based portal provides operating system agnostic access to configuration and administration functions. Both Firefox and Internet Explorer are supported.

ZenPacks

ZenPacks provide a plug-in architecture that allows community members to extend Zenoss's functionality. Mark Hinkle writes in a Zenoss blog entry that anyone can write a Zenpack, and authors are free to choose how they license their individual ZenPacks. As an incentive to buy the enterprise version, Zenoss, Inc. may develop ZenPacks that are available only to enterprise users. Zenoss, Inc. chooses to release the Zenpacks included with Zenoss Enterprise as shared source, which means users can modify the code but not distribute the changes.

Enterprise

The enterprise version builds on the core version by providing commercial support and additional features, such as synthetic web transactions and global dashboards. "In the enterprise edition," writes Sean Michael Kerner, "Zenoss is adding something it calls end-user experience monitoring which is intended to more accurately simulate end-user application activity." Kerner continues, "Enterprise users also get certified application monitors specifically geared for Microsoft SQL and Exchange."

Zenoss competes with other open source and proprietary enterprise systems management products. Open source systems management products are available from GroundWork Open Source , Hyperic and openQRM . (See the OpenQRM web site). In an interview with Jack Loftus of SearchEnterpriseLinux.com, Bill Karpovich explains what makes Zenoss different:

"Companies like GroundWork are similar to the Red Hat approach, where a company gathers up the pieces and puts support behind it. Our approach is we have always had the code and we are in control of its roadmap and indemnification. The Hyperic model is where a company comes from a commercial background and makes some of the code open source."